THE FUTURE OF BAY AREA GLASS ART
strengthen community engagement - promote sustainability - expand studio facilities
With your help, BAGI can expand our programming to include neon bending, mold making, and casting, and increase outreach efforts with mobile glassblowing demonstrations. These investments will ensure BAGI remains a thriving hub for glass art, fostering creativity, accessibility, and sustainability in our community. Together, we can reduce our environmental impact and economic burden while continuing the decades-long legacy of artistry and community at the Bay Area Glass Institute.
Together, the possibilities are endless
Where We're Going
To enter this new era of glass, we plan to:
- Build a Mobile Hotshop Trailer
- Construct Casting Studio and Kiln Room
- Complete The Neon Studio
- Install Solar Panels
- Update The Flat Shop and Welcome Area
Read more about these projects below.
Expanding our capabilities for artists
Casting Studio and Kiln Room
A significant portion of glass art is created using casting techniques, yet our current studio lacks the dedicated space
needed to support this essential process. By expanding our facilities to include a casting-specific area, we will provide
artists and students with the tools and infrastructure required for building, steaming out, and firing molds. This includes state-of-the-art kilns, mold-making tables, equipment for clay and wax modeling, and proper ventilation for safe material handling. The space will also support a variety of casting techniques, including mold-making with plaster, resin molds, lost wax processes, pâte de verre, and sand casting.
new techniques and opportunities for expression
Neon Studio
A dedicated neon studio and classroom at BAGI will introduce an entirely new craft to our programming, expanding opportunities for creative exploration, education, and accessibility. It will also help preserve and promote the rich history of traditional neon-making techniques. Located between the Aldrich Family Hotshop and the Flame Shop, this new space will feature at least three fully equipped neon-bending workstations. It will serve as both a classroom for beginners to learn the history, tools, and techniques of neon bending, and a rental space for experienced neon artists to create their work. A separate neon processing room will house the delicate equipment used to vacuum and fill neon artworks with noble gases.
A particularly exciting aspect of this studio is its potential for interdisciplinary collaboration. The space is being designed to allow artists from the Hotshop and Flame Shop to transform their creations into illuminated plasma pieces as well.
Glassblowing for the whole Bay area
Mobile Studio Trailer
To more effectively utilize BAGI's mobile furnace, we plan to construct a Mobile Studio Trailer to provide hot glass programming to Bay Area middle and high schools, companies, and community events, like City of San Jose events which reach underserved communities.
Expands Mobile Studio Usage: This mobile hotshop equipment was purchased in 2020 which has previously brought the magic of glassblowing to our annual Pumpkin Patch events.
Increases Visibility: With faster setup, we can add live glassblowing to our presence at more community events around the Bay Area.
New Revenue Stream: This will allow BAGI to offer on-site Hot Glass Experiences for Corporate Teambuilding and Private Events.
Increases School Programming: For many of our local schools, the cost of transportation is prohibitively expensive, so field trips to see how glass is manipulated and made at BAGI can be a challenge for teachers to plan. With the ability to bring BAGI area schools, we can share glassworking with many more students and provide programming to underserved schools.
a more inviting and functional space for all
Updated Fusing Studio and Welcome Center
The Welcome Center, located in our front office area, serves as the first point of contact for students and guests entering our public studio. It is where students check in for classes, visitors are greeted, and information is shared about upcoming classes, events, and opportunities to get involved. This space also functions as a workspace for our office staff and plays a key role in shaping a warm and welcoming first impression. We plan to keep the area simple and open, allowing for rotating art displays and adaptable workspaces that reflect the creative energy of our community.
With the addition of the Casting Studio and Kiln Room, BAGI's existing Fusing Studio will become a hub for all types of kilnforming classes.
Reducing our Environmental Footprint
Solar Installation
BAGI is committed to reducing our environmental footprint and improving our energy efficiency. Over the past two years, our electrical costs have increased by 19%, despite our energy usage decreasing by 11%. With electricity prices expected to continue rising due to inflation and increasing power costs, it is important that we explore sustainable solutions.
Investing in renewable resources, such as solar energy, aligns with our commitment to sustainability while providing long-term environmental and financial benefits.
Fundraising
The Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI) has demonstrated resilience and growth, rebounding from the pandemic with a 48% staff increase since 2020. As we continue expanding our impact, strategic investments are essential to sustain our facilities, enhance programming, and secure long-term financial stability.
Together, we can build a new, brighter future for glass arts in the South Bay and ensure that the flame of glass art remains lit for years to come.
Timeline
Floorplan
This image shows how BAGI's new studio spaces will relate to one-another.